The roof is certainly the first line of defense to keep your home safe and sound. Taking care of your home is a demanding and full-time job, and it must be started from the top. So, you need to learn how to properly maintain it. However, there is always room for improvement, and knowing a couple of useful tips on how to architecturally improve the quality of your roof will significantly make your life easier. The following pieces of advice will certainly help you with that.
Regular Checkups
The shortest way to a well-maintained roof is by regularly checking it. First and foremost, you can easily improve your roof by taking care of it and by conducting regular checkups. If you know the current state of your roof, then you know what should be improved immediately. If you have any access point to the top of your house, using it for regular checkups is mandatory. It goes without saying that you must check your roof right after some severe weather conditions and see if everything is in place. In the majority of cases, damage caused by storms, hurricanes, and other weather changes goes unnoticed due to the fact that the roof is not thoroughly inspected. However, these small damages can cause a whole load of problems. If you live in Portland, you can get some construction work from the scope of roofing work from KVN Construction, including repairs or even roof replacements. Anyway, checking your roof for damage once in a while can save you a lot of trouble.
Spray
It is common sense to clean your house and the surroundings, such as deep cleaning your driveway and fence. However, the last place you will think of cleaning is certainly your roof. However, since the roof is the highest point of your home, it collects a lot of debris and dirt from above. At least once every six months, you should go up there and use your hose to clean it. You should make sure to wash every single corner and not miss a thing. A regular spray will help you ensure that debris such as branches, stones, and other materials is thoroughly cleaned from the roof. Spraying your roof is especially important during the summer since it can be quite dangerous during the winter season.
It is ESSENTIAL to Clean The Gutters
One of the most common mistakes people make is underestimating gutter cleaning. You must know that almost all the debris collected on the roof goes straight into the gutters. Clogged gutters are the most common source of roof leaks, and they are the reason why water builds up on the roof after it rains. So, checking your gutters for fallen branches, dead animals, and fallen leaves will prevent serious roof damage. Cleaning your gutters can also help you collect clean rainwater, which can be useful for various purposes.
Proper Insulation and Ventilation
If you want to make a serious roof improvement, then ventilation and insulation are the improvements to consider. There are many benefits to this. Proper ventilation will allow cold air to enter and let warm air out when needed. On the other hand, proper insulation will keep warm air in your house during those cold winter days. According to some research, the main reason energy bills can rocket during the winter season is because of leaky and uninsulated roofs. The combination of proper insulation and ventilation will prevent many problems, such as mold, structural problems, and rot.
Improve the Materials
Most homeowners want to do things on a budget. Also, a majority of homeowners keep the roof they found when they moved into the house. Even though it is in good shape, you will certainly want to improve it with some high-quality materials. There are certain roofing materials that are more suitable than others. For instance, metal shingles can be a very good choice for temperate regions rather than clay shingles.
Ice Buildup
In the same way that debris can cause some serious problems, ice tends to cause a lot of trouble as well. Ice debris can build up on the roof during the winter season and stay there for quite some time. This can be particularly dangerous for your roof. Ice can build up in the membrane of your shingles, gutters, and roof. The key elements for this are good ventilation and insulation. The warmth coming from inside will heat up the roof and melt up the ice.
The roof is most certainly one of the most important part of your home. You need to make sure that it is well-maintained and that it can protect your home from any weather conditions.
